Kovalev Law
Criminal Defence, Firearms Law and Extradition
Before becoming a barrister in Ontario, Nikolay Kovalev completed a PhD in criminal law at Queens University Belfast and worked as a criminal justice expert for the UN, the OSCE and the American Bar Association. Since 2016 he has run a private criminal defence practice in the Greater Toronto Area and teaches criminal law at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Kovalev defends clients charged with fraud, sexual offences and firearm offences, as well as extradition and deportation matters - four areas where a defence lawyer's mistake carries a particularly high cost. In a fraud case under section 380 of the Criminal Code and related provisions, the Crown has to prove not just dishonesty but that the accused knowingly carried out a prohibited act capable of causing deprivation. In a firearm offence, what is at stake is not only jail time but the permanent loss of your firearms, and the rules themselves, the Firearms Act, the Criminal Code and federal orders, keep changing.
He separately handles appeals of Chief Firearms Officer decisions to revoke or suspend a PAL and firearm registrations, inadmissibility and extradition matters, and international cases, including Interpol requests in Canada and other jurisdictions. He appears in courts at every level in Ontario. He practises alone, personally selects his cases, and deals with clients directly.
An initial consultation is free, provided there is no conflict of interest.
